Five reasons to take hearing loss seriously
More than 880,000 people in New Zealand are living with hearing loss. Unfortunately, not all of them are seeking treatment despite the fact help is available right in their communities.
Neglecting hearing loss, however, can affect a person’s overall health beyond their inability to hear.
We talked to Christchurch audiologist Carolyn Till who has treated patients for more than 25 years.
‘‘Hearing is precious so don’t put it on hold. Regardless of which stage of life you are at, you still need to communicate with others,’’ she said.
Carolyn, owner of Sincock & Till Audiology, said untreated hearing loss is associated with a range of health issues. She pointed out five reasons why you should take it seriously and get the treatment you deserve.
Dementia & cognitive decline
Johns Hopkins University conducted a study that linked hearing loss to accelerated brain tissue loss and dementia. Brain scans show us that hearing loss may contribute to a faster rate of atrophy in the brain. And as people age, the increased drain on cognitive resources can accelerate the decline of other brain functions and contribute to grey matter loss. Most types of dementia are irreversible.
Personal safety
While you walk, the brain picks up acoustic cues from your surroundings to help maintain your balance. Even a mild degree of hearing loss increases the risk of a fall. Missed or misheard signals like car horns, alarms and other warning alerts can also jeopardise your safety.
Loneliness
People with hearing loss tend to avoid social situations because they worry they won’t be heard. Avoiding people and refusing to let them in on your struggles pushes them away — even those that are closest to you. Loneliness can affect health. Social isolation can increase the risk for poor eating, smoking, alcohol use, lack of exercise, depression, dementia, poor sleep and heart disease.
Exhaustion
Most people will not immediately connect the dots from fatigue to hearing loss. But the truth is the less you can hear, the more your body works to compensate, leaving you feeling tired. When having conversations, your brain is trying to fill in the blanks – and when there is a lot of background sound this is even more difficult – and burns valuable energy just trying to process the discussion. This type of persistent fatigue can affect your health by leaving you too run down to keep yourself healthy, skipping things like cooking healthy meals or going to the gym.
Heightened hearing loss
Untreated, your ability to process speech can get progressively worse. If you don’t use hearing aids your ability to process speech will decline over time.
If you or a family member aren’t hearing well, it’s important to take the first step. Says Carolyn: ‘‘People often say they wish they had addressed their hearing loss sooner, as they realise what a positive effect this has on keeping them engaged with the life they love to lead. They appreciate the guidance we have provided to assist them with their journey to hearing well. They feel more confident once they have addressed their hearing issues.’’
❚ Book a hearing check today with Sincock & Till Audiology, 701 Barbadoes Street, St Albans, Christchurch. Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Phone 03 385-6036, email info@staudiology.co.nz or visit www.staudiology.co.nz